Electric relay



May 11, 1937. A. M. HASLEV ELECTRIC RELAY Original Filed Nov. 25, 1955 /IY VENTOE H. M HfiSL EV Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC RELAY i Andreas Marius Haslev, Randers, Denmark Application November 25,

Renewed March 23, 1937. In Germany 1933, Serial No. 699,'178 July 3 Claims. (CI. 200-87) The present invention relates to improvements in electro-magnetic relays of great sensitivity and perfect reliability even after many years of operation. The relay according to the invention isessentially characterized by an armature of magnetic material freelymovable inside a. container of glass or other insulating material, the container being liberated from oxygen or evacuated and the said armature being provided with a protruding member, which is dipped into mercury in a reservoir formed in the wall of the container to provide a permanent connection.

The invention is schematically represented in the accompanying drawing, where Fig. 1 shows one manner of Construction of a relay in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 a similar relay which may be employed for controlling two separate circuits, and Fig. 3 a modified form of construction of the relay.

The relay shown in Fig. 1 comprises a twopole electromagnet l, the pole surfaces 2 of which are recessed into the wall of a suitably formed and arranged container 3 of glass or any other insulating material, which container may be completely liberated 'from oxygen or wholly or partly evacuated.

The bottom wall of the container 3 is recessed as shown thereby forming areservoir 4 that serves to hold a quantity of mercury 5, which by means of a platinum wire or the like is connected with one of the leads Sa. Within the container there ls a freely movable armature 'I which is provided with a protruding member 8 that is positioned in such a manner and of such a length that it dips into the mercury 5 and maintains this connection during 'any operation to which the armature may be influenced. Another lead Gb is connected with a contact 9 arranged inside the container 3 in the wall opposite to that in which the reservoir 4 is formed and at the opposite end of the container. When excited the electromagnet will attract the armature 1, which is 'raised to contact with the contact 9 thereby closing a circuit through the lead sa, the mercury 5,

the armature 1, the contact 9 and the lead Gb. One contact 9 will'sufiice, but by applying for instance two Contacts, one at each end of the armature, a better contact is Secured when the armature is raised by the electromagnet.

The relay illustrated in Fig. 2 is applicable to the controlling of two separate circuits. For this purpose another contact o is arranged in the bottom wall of the container 3 and connected with a lead Ec. It is assumed that otherwise the relay is of the type described in connection with the preceding figure. The mercury in the reservoir 4 is connected with two leads Sa and Od, one for each circuit in question. Normally the relay closes the one circuit through the lead ed, the mercury 5, the armature 1, the contact o and the ,lead 6c, but when the electromagnet is excited the armature 'l will be raised interrupting the circuit mentioned and close the other circuit through the lead Sa, the mercury 5, the armature l, the contact 9 and the lead Gb.

The relay shown in Fig. 3 is of substantially the same design as the construction shown in Fig. 1, but in addition to the mercury reservoir 4 a corresponding reservoir ll is recessed in the opposite wall of the container, and the protruding member 8 is extended through the armature, thus fo'rming another protruding member !2 opposite the reservoir ll. In the position illustrated the action of the relay is exactly the same as that of the Construction shown in Fig. 1, but upon reversing the container 180 around its longitudinal axis so that the contact 9 and the reservoir ll are turned downwards, the mercury 5 will flow into the reservoir ll, and a circuit is closed through a. lead Se in this reservoir, the mercury 5, the armature 1, the contact 9 and the lead Gb. The electromagnet is in this manner of construction not recessed into the wall of the container 3, but maintains its position above the container and when excited interrupts or closes the one or the other of the circuits according to the position of the container.

I claim:

1. In an evacuated container of insulated material of an electromagnetic relay, the combination of a looseand freely movable armature made of a straight piece of flat soft iron, a pin disposed near one end of the armature and protruding downwardly therefrom, a. cup-shaped reservoir in the lower portion of the container wall for mercury, said reservoir positioned and said pin shaped in such a manner as to allow the immersion of the latter in the mercury during any movement of the armature in operation, and a contact in the container wall for closing a circuit through the armature when it is actuated.

2. In an evacuated container of insulating material of an electromagnetic rela'y, the combination of a loose and freely movable armature made of a straight piece of flat soft iron, a pin disposed near one end of the armature' and protruding downwardly therefrom, a cup-shaped reservoir in the lower portion of the container wall for mercury, said reservoir positioned and the said pin shaped in such a manner as to allow immersion of the latter in the mercury during any movement of the armature in operation, and two contacts in the container wall, one o! which contacts serves the purpose ot closing a circuit through the armature when inactive, and the other contact the purpose of closing anotherciri cuit through the armature when actuated, the

pin protruding in opposite directions, cup-shaped reservoirs for mercury in the wall of the container and disposed opposite each other and each in relation to the one of the protruding pin ends to allow the immersion of the corresponding pin end in the mercury gathered in the reservoir that at the moment is lowermost during any movement of the armature in operation, and a contact for closing a circuit through the armature when actuated in one position of the container, whereas'in the opposite position resulting from rotation of the container another circuit is closed through the armature when inactive. ANDREAS MARIUS HASLEV. 

